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What does Catherine mean?

Catherine ▼ as a girls' name is pronounced KATH-rin, KATH-er-in. It is of Greek origin, and the meaning of Catherine is "pure". From katharos. The name may also have been derived from Hecate, the name of the Greek goddess of magic. Another possible source is Greek "aikia" meaning "torture". All these meanings might have been associated with Saint Aikaterine of Alexandria (fourth century), who was born a pagan but died as a Christian martyr. English form of Katherine also used in France. Catharine is the English-only form. One of the great traditional names for women, with variations in many languages. The name of several saints and queens, including Catherine the Great, empress of Russia, and three of Henry VIII's six wives. Modern-day short forms are usually Katie instead of Cathy. Actresses Catherine Oxenberg, Catherine Deneuve, Katherine Hepburn, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Cate Blanchett; Australian track celebrity Cathy Freeman.

STARTS/ENDS WITH Cath-, -ine

ASSOCIATED WITH greek, pure (virgin), goddess, magic, great, russia, modern

Variations

VARIANTS Cadi, Cait, Caitey, Caitie, Caitlin▼, Caitlinn, Caitria, Caitrin, Caitrine, Caitrinn, Caitriona, Caitrionagh, Caity, Caren▼, Cari▼, Carin, Caron, Caronne, Carren, Carri, Carrin, Carron, Caryn▼, Carynn, Cass, Cassey, Cassi, Cassie▼, Cassy, Cat, Cataleen, Cataleena, Catalin, Catalina▲, Cataline, Catarina, Catarine, Cate, Cateline, Caterina, Caterine, Catey, Cath, Catha, Cathaleen, Cathaline, Catharin, Catharina, Catharine▼, Cathatyna, Catharyna, Catharyne, Cathe, Cathee, Catheirn, Cathelin, Cathelina, Cathelle, Cathenne, Catheren, Catherin, Catherina, Catherinn, Cathern, Catheryn, Cathi, Cathie▼, Cathirin, Cathiryn, Cathleen▼, Cathlene, Cathline, Cathlyne, Cathrine▼, Cathrinn, Cathryn▼, Cathryne, Cathrynn, Cathy▼, Cathye, Cathyleen, Cati, Catia, Catie, Catlina, Catlaina, Cato, Catreena, Catrelle, Catrice, Catricia, Catrin, Catrina▼, Catrine, Catrine, Catriona, Catrionagh, Catryna, Catteeka, Caty, Cay, Caye, Cazzy, Ekaterina, Kait, Kaitey, Kaitie, Kaitlin▼, Kaitlinne, Kaitrin, Kaitrine, Kaitrinna, Kaitriona, Kaitrionaugh, Kaity, Karen▼, Karena, Kari▼, Karin▼, Karon▼, Karri▼, Karrin, Karyn▼, Karynn, Kasia, Kasienka, Kasja, Kaska, Kass, Kassey, Kassia, Kassy, Kasya, Kat, Kata, Kataleen, Katalin, Katalina▲, Katarina▼, Katchen, Kate▼, Katee, Katelijn, Katell, Katelle, Katenka, Katerina▲, Katerinka, Katey, Katinka, Katha, Katharine▼, Katharyn, Katharyne, Kathee, Kathelina, Katheline, Katherin, Katherina, Katherine▼, Katheryn▼, Katherynn, Kathi▼, Kathie▼, Kathileen, Kathiryn, Kathleen▼, Kathlene, Kathleyn, Kathline, Kathyleen, Kathrine▼, Kathrinna, Kathryn▼, Kathryne, Kathy▼, Kathyrine, Kati▼, Katia, Katica, Katie▼, Katina▼, Katinka, Katka, Katla, Katlaina, Katleen, Katoushka, Katouska, Katrena, Katrien, Katrine, Katrina▼, Katriona, Katrionaugh, Katryna, Katushka, Katuska, Katy▼, Katya, Kay▼, Kaye▼, Kit, Kittee, Kittie▼, Kitty▼, Riona, Trina▼, Trine, Trinette, Yekaterin, Yekaterina

How popular is Catherine?

Catherine is a very popular first name for females (#46 out of 4276, Top 1%) and also a very popular last name for both adults and children (#50686 out of 150436, Top 34%). (2000 U.S. DEMOGRAPHICS)

Catherine reached its highest position of #20 in the U.S. in the 1910s, and is at #204 presently. (TOP BABY NAMES, 2018)

Top 2000 baby names ranking of Catherine name in U.S.

Top 100 baby names ranking of Catherine outside U.S.

Which version is better?

Popular varying forms of Catherine (#204 FROM CURRENT RECORDS) are Katherine (#112), Catalina (#235), Kate (#285), Katie (#449), Kathryn (#453), Katalina (#629), Karen (#635), Kathleen (#894), Katerina (#1173), Cassie (#1262), Caitlin (#1360), Katrina (#1516), Kari (#1569), Katarina (#1594), Katy (#1790), Katia (#1832), Kathi, Trina, Katherin, Katherina, Kitty, Katheryn, Katheryne, Kittie, Kathlene, Kathie, Kit, Kathrina, Kathrine, Kaye, Kathryne, Katharyn, Kati, Kay, Katya, Katina, Katrena, Kathy, Cady, Katharine, Catheryn, Caren, Cari, Carin, Caron, Carri, Caryn, Cassey, Cassi, Cassy, Catarina, Cate, Catharine, Cathern, Cathi, Katey, Cathie, Cathleen, Cathrine, Cathryn, Cathy, Catrina, Catriona, Kaitlin, Karena, Karin, Karon, Karri, Karyn and Trinette. Other variants, like Kathirin, are seldom used. Adoption of these relations of Catherine was common 7 decades ago (USAGE OF 6.02%) and is now much reduced (USAGE 0.62%, ▼90%), with forms like Catherine going out of style. Katherine is the continual favorite, although Catalina seems to be gaining popularity too.